The present invention relates to a vehicle parking system. It finds particular application in conjunction with providing feedback to a vehicle operator regarding a status of the parking system and will be described with particular reference thereto. It will be appreciated, however, that the invention is also amenable to other applications.
Conventional heavy-duty vehicle air brake systems typically use mechanical pneumatic push-pull control valves to control a vehicle's parking brakes. These pneumatic push-pull valves are usually placed within the vehicle's instrument panel, as are the pneumatic lines and connectors used to connect the brake control valves to the other components of the vehicle's air brake system. Dash mounting of these components may consume critical space in the vehicle's dash which may ultimately result in configurations that are detrimental to the driver's comfort and convenience. Furthermore, installation of pneumatics into the dash requires complex, airtight connections during the final assembly phase of the vehicle. Thus, systems including an electrical switch assembly mounted on or in the dash for controlling the parking brakes with an electrically responsive valve located remotely from the dash components have been developed.
There is at least one difference between such electrical switch assemblies and conventional mechanical pneumatic push-pull control valves in the dash instrument panel. More specifically, electrical switch assemblies mounted on or in the dash instrument panel provide relatively less feedback to a vehicle operator than similarly mounted conventional mechanical pneumatic push-pull control valves. For example, conventional mechanical pneumatic push-pull control valves mounted on or in the dash instrument panel typically provide mechanical feedback to the vehicle operator to indicate a status, or change in status, of the vehicle park system. In one conventional system, pneumatic pressure causes a control valve to “pop out” and, possibly, even forcibly hit the vehicle operator's hand when the vehicle operator pulls the control valve to an extended position to change a state of the vehicle parking brakes. This mechanical feedback provides a confirmation to the vehicle operator that the status of the vehicle park system is changed.
The present invention provides a new and improved apparatus and method which addresses the above-referenced problems.